


(Shut up and) Dance With Me

by P_0TAT0_S



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dance, Ballroom Dancing, Chirping as Flirting, Dancing, Dancing with the stars - Freeform, Emotional Constipation, Friends to Lovers, Inspired By Tumblr, M/M, So yeah, but then I changed some stuff, dancing with the stars!au, dwts!au, not me writing DWTS stuff without knowing anything about dancing nor DWTS, or my Tumbr technically, this wasn't originally supposed to be romantic, we all know why, yeah I don't know, yes that is about whiskey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:42:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29206794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/P_0TAT0_S/pseuds/P_0TAT0_S
Summary: Professional dancer Tony Tangredi is reached out by Dancing with the Stars to be one of their new professional dancers in their new athlete’s season. NHL Superstar and resident robot personality Connor Whisk is suggested by his PR team (read: forced) to participate to change up his reputation. Best friends Tango and Whiskey are pining for each other. Neither know. Ford wants a vacation.In other words, a Dancing with the Stars AU that I am doing instead of a research essay!
Relationships: Denice "Foxtrot" Ford & Tony "Tango" Tangredi & Connor "Whiskey" Whisk, Tony "Tango" Tangredi & Connor "Whiskey" Whisk, Tony "Tango" Tangredi/Connor "Whiskey" Whisk
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	(Shut up and) Dance With Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! This is basically my first fanfic in this fandom/first fanfic in general that I actually am planning on posting. So...honestly don't expect much from me. 
> 
> Song title is from Shut Up and Dance by WALK THE MOON

Tango stared at the new email in his inbox, rolling the words over in his head, but not really reading any of them. Something he could tell was that it was a professional email. Like a _professional_ professional email. The ones that usually talked about professional performances and money and a lot of planning, so then a lot of questions. A few more blinks, and then Tango found his phone in his hands, a call already connecting.

“Emergency, question, or urgent question?” Ford asked as soon as the call went through. 

Tango thought for a moment, “Uh, question, but more like questioning for advice rather than for an answer because this seems like something really important to consider financially but also-”

“Yep! Okay then,” Ford said, cutting Tango off gently, “so I’m guessing this has something to do with a job? What does it ask for?” Between the both of them Ford had definitely seen the worst when it came to job requests, especially in New York. 

“Uh, do you know what Dancing with the Stars is?” Tango asked in response. 

Silence went through the line. Tango checked that the call was still connected, and saw Ford’s icon still on. After a few more seconds, Tango was going to ask if Ford was still there, but then immediately, Ford’s voice cut in, calm, but with a serious energy to it, “Dancing with the Stars? You mean the TV show, Dancing with the Stars? The one getting millions of views? _The reason why we became friends_?”

With a little bit of a lost feeling, Tango answered back “Yeah, that’s the one.” Dead silence. Tango was beginning to think that he should be feeling something different, but all he could do was stare at the email, thinking back to how in the world he got it.

Tango remembered back to when he first went to Samwell, how he literally ran into Ford on his way to the first Ballroom Dance club meeting. Both of them apologized, then apologized again, and again, until they were just apologizing for apologizing. The only thing that broke the cycle was when Tango asked Ford why she was holding a pile of stage folders, with Ford telling him she was helping manage the newest play. A few more questions (on Tango part) and their subsequent answers (by Ford) led to both of them realizing they had a lot of the same interests, namely Dancing with the Stars. They both exchanged numbers, realized they were incredibly late to their respective events, and then their friendship was born.

Subsequently, Tango became friends with SMH after Ford took over as their team manager. When Holster and Ransom found out Tango won Junior National Dance Championships, he got the name Tango (which ironically was also his specialty). Fast forward to meeting Whiskey, Ford’s other best friend, and Tango felt an immediate connection. Whiskey, although quiet and serious, always took Tango and his questions seriously, no matter how ridiculous. Together, they made for an unstoppable trio (WTF for the win!) all throughout college and beyond. 

But right after college, they splintered off. Whiskey got picked up by the Las Vegas Aces right after college, Ford off doing an internship in New York, and Tango finding work as a professional dancer through Providence and joining various troupes and groups. Through it all, they kept in contact, and visited as much as they could. 

5 years later, and they all were still going strong. Whiskey was the alternate captain for the Aces, Ford’s on Broadway, and Tango is getting recognized for his dancing. Obviously, though, he’s getting recognized by something big. Like actually, many people across the nation might see him on television big. Holy-

“TONY TANGREDI,” Ford’s voice cut through his thoughts, “ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT DANCING WITH THE STARS IS ASKING FOR TO BE ON THEIR SHOW?”

Tango blinked at the lound interruption, “Maybe? I might have just been staring at the email-”

“Forward it to me! We’ll read it together.” Ford’s voice was practically shaking with energy as Tango forwarded the message, but then a question struck him.

“Wait, aren’t you supposed to be at practice?” Tango asked.

Sounds of Ford shuffling stuff went through the line as she responded. “Oh don’t worry about it, a stage light fell down and almost crushed an actor-”

“What?!” Tango yelled.

But Ford continued like she didn’t hear him, “-but I was able to tackle him away from the fall. Having two football players as brothers helped out a lot. Apparently it may have been a case of sabotage, but the stage crew is still investigating it.”

“Sabotage? Who would sabotage the stage light?” Tango was worried, but also remembered that Ford handled managing a whole team of hockey players twice her size, so she could handle a (maybe) murder attempt.

“Oh it’s definitely Elliot, but enough of that,” Ford answered off handedly, “now I have the whole day off and we’re going through this email.”

“Do we have to?” Tango asked, as he reluctantly scrolled down the page on his computer.

“It’s either this, or I’m dragging you to Los Angeles myself.”

“Okay then!” Tango focused back onto the email, “it says-” Tango looked at the email to read the specifics, but then Ford beat him to the punch.

“It says that they're asking you to be _one of the professional dancers for their 2024 season of Dancing with the Stars,_ ” Ford finished for him. A second later, “Tango, it says that they are also offering if you would like to become a _recurring dancer for them_ if the season works out.”

“Oh. Huh,” Tango blinked at the knowledge, but as he scrolled further down the page, he noticed something different about the title of the show. “Wait, it says the 2024 season of Dancing with the Stars: Athletes? They’re doing another season of the athletes version?”

“I guess there has been a lot more focus on athletes in the past few years,” Ford said. “Speaking of athletes, have you told Whiskey yet?”

“Oh! Not yet! I called you first by instinct,” Tango said sheepishly, but Ford just laughed on the other end.

“It says here that the roster for the athlete’s side is still being determined,” Ford read from the email, “and that the final results won’t be until a few weeks due to some scheduling errors. Hey! For all you know, Whiskey could get on here!”

“You really think so?” Tango asked in response, but then as the two of them processed the question, they both burst out laughing.

“Okay, Whiskey would probably rather get checked into a wall than dance on TV,” Ford said after their laughter died down, “but Tony, think about it! A job on Dancing with the Stars! You literally started dancing because of this show!”

“I know, I know,” Tango nodded, but realized that Ford couldn’t see him, “It sounds amazing!” But Ford could hear the hesitation in Tango’s answer.

“But?” Ford asked.

Tango looked up at the ceiling for a few seconds before responding in a quiet voice, “Do you really think I’m good enough?” Tango knew that out of the three of them, he was probably the least successful. Compared to some of the people he saw, Tango knew he was good, but not exceptional. If he went there and flopped…if anything, it wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen, but certainly not the best confidence booster. 

Ford was quiet for a second, but when she spoke, she had a determined tone in her voice, “Tony, you are going to be the best one there, without a question.”

Looking back down at the email, Tango felt warmth in his chest, “...you really think so?”

“I know so,” the confidence in her voice relayed that, “and I know that Whiskey would agree too. You even taught him a bit at Samwell.”

Tango laughed at the memory, thinking back to how stiff Whiskey was, but the determination in his eyes with each practice. Thinking about Whiskey believing in him brought some heat to his face, but Tango smiled nonetheless. Whiskey always did that to him. 

“So what do you say? You want to do it?” Ford was the one asking for once, and as Tango thought about the words Ford said, the warmth in his chest grew even more.

“...Yeah,” Tango held onto that warmth with a smile, “Yeah, I’m going to do it!” 

“Wooooh! Make way for the next winner of Dancing with the Stars!”

“Yeah! … Uh, how do I do it?”

“Tango-”

**Author's Note:**

> Ford: Imagine if Whiskey did this  
> Tango: Do you really think so?  
> Ford:  
> Tango:  
> Ford and Tango: Nah
> 
> ^_^


End file.
